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Airdrie city council has approved a motion to assess whether a regional transit route connecting the city to Calgary’s post-secondary campuses is viable, after Councillor Heather Spearman read a revised version into the record, stating it was “not implementing a pilot so much as exploring the viability.”
The motion was introduced by Spearman and filed ahead of the May 20 meeting under the title “Exploring a Pilot Transit Route Connecting Airdrie to Calgary Post-Secondary Campuses.” In its original form, it asked that council “direct Administration to explore the viability” of a pilot route.
Councillors questioned whether that language could be interpreted as a directive to initiate new service or engage in planning beyond staff capacity or budget. In response, Spearman read a revised version of the motion into the record before the vote:
"I move that council directs administration to report back to council with the full scope of resources, costs and plans required to explore the viability of a pilot regional transit route..."
She added:
"Everything in there is very much not implementing a pilot so much as exploring the viability."
Council passed the motion as read aloud, without opposition.
Written motion cited population growth and student access needs
Spearman’s written notice cited Airdrie’s population growth and affordability concerns for post-secondary students. It argued that residents were facing long, expensive commutes to Calgary institutions and proposed a route operating during the academic year, open to all riders but focused on campus access.
"Airdrie’s 2024 municipal census reports a population of 85,805, reflecting a 6.39 per cent increase from 2023 and a year-over-year growth of approximately 5,130 new residents," the motion stated.
"These students currently face long, complex, and expensive commutes to institutions including but not limited to the University of Calgary, SAIT, Mount Royal University, AUArts, and Bow Valley College."
It cited ICE and Calgary Transit costs of more than $15 per day, with some students commuting over 90 minutes each way. For drivers, the motion noted campus parking could exceed $500 per semester.
"Regional public transit initiatives like On-It Regional Transit serve municipalities such as Okotoks and Cochrane — but currently exclude Airdrie, despite its larger population and closer proximity to Calgary."
Although the proposed pilot would prioritize post-secondary access, the motion stated it would not be restricted to students.
"It is not intended to serve only students, and should be accessible to any Airdrie resident who wishes to use it."
Staff confirm consultant discussions underway
Mayor Peter Brown asked whether staff had reviewed the motion and whether any of its requests were already underway. Spearman said:
"I haven’t heard anything back today, but I’m sure they’ve been looking at my — my long notice of motion."
A staff member responded that administration had begun examining the idea through the ongoing transit master plan.
"Administration is highly interested in this, and I have already reached out to our consultant for the transit master plan to review this possible option," they said. "We’re — we’re looking into it. Yes."
The staff member added that any work beyond the scope of the existing plan would require additional resources.
"Any other investigations — we don’t have the funding for, nor the personnel," they said. "That is our ask."
Councillors raise concerns over scope, timing, and travel claims
Councillor Ron Chapman asked whether the intent was to operate a fixed commuter service or a limited-use route.
"Is it one-off, like taxpayer-funded Uber type thing or — what’s the intention?"
Spearman said the motion was not requesting a full-day shuttle service.
"Absolutely not an all-day Uber for students... not at all requesting that admin look at a personalized all-day-long shuttle, but a little more accessibility, a little better timing, and something that makes using transit to get to their everyday activities a little more functional."
Chapman also said that university course schedules posed a service design challenge.
"University classes, they don’t all start at the same time," he said. "They start at different times, all through the day and in the evenings as well, with all different classes."
Councillor Al Jones questioned whether Spearman’s time estimates matched actual commute experience.
"They’re definitely not spending four hours a day on a bus," he said. "...And the LRT is running every 20 minutes, so I don’t know where we’re getting four hours from. I just don’t see how we can better it by adding more services from Airdrie directly to the campuses. We’d only be cutting out an LRT trip."
Spearman had told council earlier that some students face "a three-hour to four-hour round trip based on the timing of their day."
Kolson said she supported the motion’s intent but agreed with concerns about travel efficiency.
"You’re three hours in before you even get there, because you have to ping pong around and take different buses," she said. "It’s still 45 minutes at least downtown, through all that traffic and then back up on a super-packed LRT."
Legal limits and existing work brought forward
Brown asked whether Airdrie buses were allowed to pick up and drop off within Calgary. Staff responded:
"We can’t service from one Calgary bus stop to another Calgary bus stop because that’s taking away service from Calgary Transit, but we can service and drop off and pick up at Calgary stops, bringing them back to Airdrie."
Kolson asked if the proposal duplicated any ongoing administrative work.
"Is there anything in this motion that you were already looking at — staff were already evaluating — prior to this motion?"
Staff confirmed that discussions had already begun on potential university links.
"Yes, we were looking at the university service as a possibility prior to this motion — U of C and SAIT, Mount Royal... not having direct service to each individual school."
Spearman acknowledged the overlap.
"I know they’re already covering some of this in their transit master plan that is coming to us as a council before this term ends."
Councillors request cost clarity before implementation
Kolson said her support was conditional on administration returning with workload and cost estimates.
"I want it to come back to say, ‘If we do this, this is a 80-, 100-, 300-hour work project... this is covered outside.’"
Councillor Tina Petrow said she also supported proceeding only with a clear scope and budget.
"I would like to have some information back on the full scope and cost of this... what can be done under what you’re already doing... what is outside of that scope, and what that’s going to cost us."
She asked whether the city was exploring coordinated fare systems.
"How do we integrate those systems? And is there a one-fare kind of mentality? What would that cost-sharing agreement look like?"
Councillor Darrell Belyk said he had heard from students who wanted a campus route.
"I’d like to see the cost as well before anything’s implemented, but let’s trust the process."
Final version read into record
Before council voted, Brown asked whether Spearman would rescind or revise the motion. Spearman declined to rescind.
Brown asked if she was willing to read a clarified version into the record. Spearman agreed.
"I’m always open to changing my motion," she said. "I’m not willing to rescind it, because I think this is an area that we do need to look [at] — and obviously transit thinks so too, because they are looking at it."
She referenced an example from Camrose.
"Camrose had a partnership with the student union that would bring a bus a couple days a week... there’s lots of different things out there."
She then read the full revised motion into the record, including the requirement that staff report back.
"I move that council directs administration to report back to council with the full scope of resources, costs and plans required to explore the viability of a pilot regional transit route during the academic year focused on connecting Airdrie directly to Calgary post-secondary campuses…"
"And further that administration investigate potential funding opportunities... And further that following the analysis... the administration be directed to provide recommendations for broader Airdrie Transit upgrades…"
Brown asked if there was any opposition.
"Anybody opposed? Carried."
While the written motion had asked that administration "explore the viability" of a pilot route, the version passed by council directed staff to return with a breakdown of costs, scope, and resources — a clarification introduced by Spearman before the vote and accepted without amendment.
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